Annoyed

[Cappuccino]

I've just settled an outstanding credit card debt with my bank after they decided to freeze my current account on payday - no problem as such there as I'd lapsed in my payments some while ago so in that regard I've taken my medicine. Having agreed a settlement figure, this was taken out of my account on February 28th as agreed.

The problems start here. For some reason the stop placed on my account was still in effect until yet another round of phone calls (the third or fourth time in a week) finally got the restriction on withdrawals lifted a week later on March 7th, though this came too late for my regular monthly payments to be processed as usual.

Given that I was originally advised that once my payment had gone through that my account status would return to normal with immediate effect, would I have a case for claiming back the �25 excess charge that my car insurance company has slapped on me for a missed payment on the 2nd? I anticipate similar communications from other concerns that I have direct debits arrangements with and am somewhat displeased at the prospect of incurring penalty charges which are the fault of my bank's debt recovery department.

[Loosehead]

Yes if you have everything in writing and you explain your case as you have here I think they'd have little choice bvut to refund costs that where down to them

[topkapi]

I asked my bank to tranfer some money from my savings account to my current account on 9th Dec for Xmas shopping purposes and I went in and signed the transfer form on that date. I then went shopping. The bank did not transfer the money and I did not realise until I started getting letters from companies saying my direct debits had been refused. For each of these refusals my wonderful bank charged me �38.00. I had to take time off work to sort it out and they finally transferred the money on 23rd Dec. After Xmas I went in and saw the bank manager and the next day he paid �480 back into my account in overpaid charges so it is well worth complaining if it their error.

[gammaray]

I would question whether your bank had any right to freeze your current account, in order to force a settlement of a credit card account.

[themas]

It is routine small print for them to be entitled to take money from any account with them in order to pay off money owed on any other account with them. But this procedure should not need to involve freezing the account - you should certainly complain and ask for any charges you have incurred as a result.

[Eels]

Also, from a credit point of view, you need to contact all the recipients of regular payments and explain the situation.

Without making assumptions about your credit record as it stands, this month there will be several entries on your credit record that you missed a payment, which will not be removed by the companies unless you expressly ask for it. Might be a ballache to do it at a later date when the details aren't so clear in your head.

Check out Experian and Equifax on Google for more info.